Occasional British Gas problem, gas meter was changed same time as switched to new billing system

Annemos

If you have a feeling something has gone wrong, maybe this will explain what might have happened. 


It has taken me 3 months to figure out what has gone wrong with my gas meter change. 

1) Mid October 2022, chap knocked at door from Network Plus and replaced my old Gas Meter with a Non-smart refurbished meter. The current one is Metric and the old one is non-metric. So the current one's readings are about 26,000 and old one was about 9000. 

(I had spotted that people sometimes get wrongly billed, re that metric change, so I was keeping a watch on this, just in case.) 

2) In the same week (an unfortunate coincidence), they switched me from the old Classic Billing System to their new On-line Billing system. 

I realised something had gone wrong when I asked BG about my billing to make sure they had the new meter correctly registered. I quickly realised that there did not seem to be a record of this replacement meter anywhere. I was also speaking to different call centres, which are independent. So for example, the team that deals with the new System, cannot see the information on the old Classic Billing System. 

3) I put in a request to have this rectified mid January.  I was asked to send a photograph of the new meter to them. (It also has a card on it showing the meter readings at the change-over). But this week, it had reached the 3 month mark and it was still not rectified. A few e-mails had taken place and chats, but nobody could tell me when this would ever be resolved. As a customer, I was starting to feel I was stuck in a void and had fallen through the cracks. (That is very stressful.) And I cannot submit a meter reading, now,  because it is still expecting a 4-digit number and mine is now a 5-digit number which gets rejected. So the on-line billing now shows an estimated usage, based on the old meter that no longer exists in my home.

Me onto the case again....


At last I spoke to a superb BG advisor today. She told me that it takes about 2 weeks for a replacement meter to show up on somebody's BG account. (The replacement meter and its serial number has to be logged first on the big central database of gas meters. That is independent of British Gas and so a change has to be logged.)

This had failed to take place in my case, because I had fallen through the cracks..... with the Billing System Change falling so close to the date of the Meter change (within 3 days). And to access and deal with information on the old BG Billing system, there is now a wait time of FOUR months! (New Account Team has to log a case with the old Classic Team). That is why, I was still waiting, I found out today. 

So now the advisor has just looked into it again and found out that the new meter IS now successfully on the big Central Database and she can also see 2 meters registered at my address. She also has my photo for the new meter, taken at the time of the installation. And here is the MAGIC. She is now opening up a Complaint under the NEW billing system and that "meter change" will now take just 2 weeks to be actioned, she said. (Removal of old meter on my account.) 

So I think I am nearly there, now. My advice is just to keep plugging away when something happens as a customer and you are in the dark. Everyone was always really polite and helpful when I spoke to them, but it was a slightly odd set of timing that was the root of all this and it took some digging to eventually get there. 

[Deleted User]

Out-of-interest, why did you allow someone who knocked on your door unannounced to replace your meter? 

Annemos

Well I had been having cards through the door for about 2 years, because my meter was past its use-by date. And I had always left it, because I was not over keen on a smart meter. 

As I intercepted this one as if popped through the letter box, I noticed that it was to be a non-smart meter! So I ran out and caught him. He did it on the spot. Had all the identification with him. Did a great job! 

(Maybe he did not knock... card came through door!  It said  "Gas Safety Notice-requires immediate attention. We attempted to visit your property today to exchange your gas meter, but you were not in. It is essential that we carry out this work. Please re-book an appointment   etc etc" )

[Deleted User]

Fair enough. If Network Plus has fitted a cubic feet analogue meter then I would expect it will need replacing very soon. Gas meters recording in cubic feet haven’t been manufactured for years and certification runs from the date on which the meter was manufactured not installed.

Annemos

This new refurbished one is a cubic meter analogue one, manufactured in 2008. I expect it will also run out before long. (It just might see me out!) 

But hopefully, if it can last a bit longer, they will have had lots of time to iron out any issues with Smart Meters. (Ones that are dumb or don't communicate with the account etc).

I prefer to join in with modern tech later in the process, where possible, if the old tech is still working just fine. 

[Deleted User]

Annemos said:

This new refurbished one is a cubic meter analogue one, manufactured in 2008. I expect it will also run out before long. (It just might see me out!) 

But hopefully, if it can last a bit longer, they will have had lots of time to iron out any issues with Smart Meters. (Ones that are dumb or don't communicate with the account etc).

I prefer to join in with modern tech later in the process, where possible, if the old tech is still working just fine. 

OK - I misread your post. Suffice to say that 4 years of smart meters on, the technology is as mature as it will get. Dual band hubs are now being rolled out to solve the gas meter distance to comms hub issue (where there is one). Buying gas at 6p/kWh throughout last and for this coming Winter, and electricity at 5p/kWh last Winter has saved me a fortune. This is only possible with smart meters.

ben_glastonbury

"And to access and deal with information on the old BG Billing system, there is now a wait time of FOUR months! (New Account Team has to log a case with the old Classic Team). "

This might explain why BG have still not sorted out my cancelled bills which still haven't been replaced. The cancelled bills were full of discrepancies when I managed to get copies of them.  The cancelled bills were on the old system which the agent had no access to.  Hopefully  now the case is with the ombudsman he will have more luck in getting them to operate in a timely manner. 

"As a customer, I was starting to feel I was stuck in a void and had fallen through the cracks" I know the feeling!

Annemos

Thank you Dolor. That is very interesting and well worth noting for future reference. I am still on a pre-crisis fixed tariff until the end of October this year, so I have not yet felt the pain of the rising prices. A review will certainly have to be done. 

Annemos

(Gas Meter replaced October 2022. Me put onto new British Gas Billing System in the same same week. Now fallen through the cracks. New Meter not registered in my new Account. Unable to submit readings by any method.)


Well I am still waiting! The Lady in Complaints is unable to give me any date for when this replacement meter will be linked to my account within the new British Gas Billing System. All she can say, is it has been passed to the Engineers and is "in process". 


As it is taking so long, she has given me a Deadlock reply, to enable me to go to the Energy Ombudsman. 
(That is not filling me with joy, as I had to go to the Financial Ombudsman in 2021.)

My fixed tariff ends end October 2023. So I am now inclined to give them until the end of August and then go to Ombudsman. 

Just HOPING it will be done before then. Meanwhile... I keep taking the photos of the meter. 

QrizB

Annemos said:

My fixed tariff ends end October 2023. So I am now inclined to give them until the end of August and then go to Ombudsman. 
Just HOPING it will be done before then. Meanwhile... I keep taking the photos of the meter. 

If you know your meter readings and your tariff, you can calculate how much your gas bill should be for the period.

If you would like help with the calculation, post your readings and tariff info here and someone will work it out for you.

Annemos

Thank you very much. 

Yes, luckily I am alright on that score. I have kept all prior bills for years, so I monitor what my usage should be.

I have also taken a detailed look at how everything is actually calculated from units to money, when you switch from an imperial to a metric meter. 

Usage still seems to be in line with before and the Direct Debits are still in line with that actual usage. (I have been on a fixed tariff for 2 years. I got on just before all the prices escalated. Will be a shock when November comes!) 

I cannot submit readings to British Gas, because their system throws me out... it is expecting a reading of about 8000,  but my new meter readings (metric meter now) are of the order of 24,000. So the automated thing tells me I must have made an error!

I shall be so happy when it is all sorted out. If it ever is!! 

Thanks again, QrizB